I really love the work that the UC Davis MIND Institute is doing with regards to conditions such as autism and ADHD. This newest bit of news could help identify a certain subset of autism much faster. According to the article, it would probably only identify about 17% of children on the spectrum for now. … Read more A biomarker test for autism?

I really like this graphic that a friend of mine posted about accommodations for adults on the autism spectrum in the workplace. I also realize that not all of these can be logically met by every company, but having worked myself in conditions ranging from “interesting” to “Spirit, help me,” I think a lot of … Read more Work Accommodations

First, yes, it’s been awhile. A lot has been going on over here, including some big decisions that will probably be announced in the June site update. A recent situation has caused me to take a hard look at the idea of “parent buy-in.” It’s a bit of a buzzword/concept in my field, and it … Read more Parents, We Need You.

WebMD released an article this week about the expectations and experiences of work for adults on the autism spectrum. While the study has not been peer-reviewed yet, it does appear to offer a solid look at what the office environment feels like for a population who is (unfortunately) still trying to get their foot through … Read more Autism and Employment

We need to talk about this. Being African-American and working in the autism field, I have certainly noticed that there are very few of my race that I have treated and worked with in my decade in the field. In fact, I can count the number of black clients that I’ve had on one hand. … Read more Race and Autism Diagnosis: Study

This section will adjust as trainings get started and families tell me what they want to see more of, but for now we are going to include news, resources, and little messages that are too short for a blog post. A quick word on…eye contact The person on the spectrum isn’t ignoring you. They may … Read more Autism

After working as a therapist for over a decade, Angel noticed a common thread amongst many of her minority clients: those on the autism spectrum were either not getting the correct diagnosis, or were getting it much later in development than their white counterparts. Being that autism is a condition that has a higher adaptation … Read more About Angel

Summer/Fall 2019

School is back in session, which means summer is winding down and fall is upon us!

With fall comes new opportunities for SPARC Guidance, ones that you will be hearing about very soon! In the meantime go check out my blog post Seeing Trends for more on my observations over the years concerning families with autistic individuals. I am also starting to offer autism-related trainings for professionals, especially daycare, aftercare, and charter school workers who are often the first ones outside of families to notice behaviors in children.